Notice of upcoming service fee changes

At AcceleRate Financial, we work hard to keep our service fees low. We regularly check our fees to make sure they:

Provide value to our members

Are affordable and comparable to fees charged by other local financial institutions

Cover our costs to provide our services

Our latest review led to some changes to our service fees for some of our personal and business accounts.

These service fee changes will be effective on July 22, 2019.

Intra-Account Transfers

(via phone)

AcceleRate Financial Savings

Current

July 22

Full Service

Account Benefits

Accelerate Savings

$0.00

$1.00

FREE if complete the intra-account transfer through online, mobile or automated telephone banking

Get ready for our banking system conversion 2019

Published: 15 May 2019

We are updating our banking system this July to serve you better. Conversion weekend is July 19-22, 2019.

We’re working hard to minimize inconvenience to our members; however, there will be some impact to you during and after the banking system conversion weekend, which will be occuring July 19-22, 2019.

What we’re doing to prepare:

A website support hub will be launched in June. It will host all the information and resources you need to prepare for conversion weekend. More information will be communicated within the next month. We will also be launching a Member Solutions Centre, extending support services to members via phone, which will launch in the coming months as well.

What you can do to prepare:

Open all mail from us for further details about how the banking system conversion may affect you and what you need to do to prepare. This may include letters, newsletters, statement slips, direct mail postcards, and guides.

We apologize for the potential inconvenience and thank you for your patience as we update our system in order to better serve you.

Stay alert and protect yourself from fraudsters

Published: 07 March 2019

In today’s digital landscape, fraud is a real threat. At AcceleRate Financial, we take protecting your money and information seriously Our banking system, hosted by our parent company Crosstown Civic Credit Union, follow the highest internationally recognized security standards, and we use protective firewalls and authentication procedures to keep you safe. But fraudsters are out there – and they are trying harder than ever to get your information and money.

fraud•ster/ˈfrôdstər/Noun [BRITISH]1. a person who commits fraud, especially in business dealings.

They’re real people, and they’re out there looking for victims and ways to get money. More often we hear about fraudsters targeting the public online or by phone, but did you know they can target you in person or through the mail? Everyone is a target, and every year, thousands of Canadians lose millions of dollars to these thieves.

You can fight fraud. Follow these tips to strengthen your defense against fraudsters:

Be wary of links. Fraudsters often disguise themselves. Be careful clicking links from emails – especially if it leads to a log in page. Please contact us if you ever receive a suspicious-looking email from Crosstown Civic.

Different website, different password. Don’t use the same password for more than one site. If a criminal finds out one password, they may try using it to log in to other website. Make your passwords hard to guess, never share or save them, and update them regularly.

Don’t trust public Wi-Fi. Fraudsters can easily get to your information through public Wi-Fi and public computers. Never conduct financial transactions or access your accounts over public Wi-Fi.

Monitor your accounts. Keep an eye out for suspicious activity, and report anything unusual. Learn how to detect unethical business practices so you can to protect yourself.

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, managed by the RCMP, the Competition Bureau, and the Ontario Provincial Police, has plenty of information on fraud and fraud detection. For resources, and to stay up to date on the latest news in fraud scams, visit www.antifraudcentre.ca. View their calendar of activities for the month.

You can also pick up a free copy of the Little Black Book of Scams in any of our branches. This booklet includes 12 of the most common scams currently targeting Canadians. It is filled with tips and tricks on how to protect yourself, and what to do if you get scammed. Can’t get to a branch? Check out the digital version.

You work hard for your money. Don’t let a fraudster get a hold of your funds; protect yourself, and protect your earnings.

TFSA contribution limit increasing to $6,000 in 2019

Published: 31 December 2018

The new limit, announced at the end of November, means more savings options for Canadians.

Since the government’s introduction of the Tax Free Savings Account in 2009, there have been few changes to the program. The inaugural year saw a limit of $5,000 and it stayed that way until 2013 when the additional $500 was added. TFSA limits stayed stagnant save the $10,000 promotional year in 2015.

This new limit means that for those who’ve never contributed to a TFSA before, and who were of age since the program’s inception, could potentially have a contribution total of $63,500 by January 1st.

The ability to withdraw funds as needed is one of the biggest advantages of a TFSA. Withdrawing money from your TFSA doesn’t count as “income” so it doesn’t affect your annual taxes or other benefits and pensions. So yes – you can withdraw from your TFSA at any time but it’s far more beneficial to let interest build by saving long term.

Limits are easy to track for members with only one TFSA account – but if you have more than one, you need to be aware of your limits based on the total amount.

If you have never withdrawn money from a TFSA account, you can keep adding until you hit the current TFSA limit. If you’ve withdrawn money from a TFSA in the past, you can earn that room back the following year.

If you have more than one TFSA, be aware of your limits as they are based on the total amount.